At MWC 2024, Lenovo presented Project Crystal — a laptop with a transparent screen (for some reason, they are popular in sci-fi movies) and a touch panel instead of a keyboard. The manufacturer also showed a line of more traditional ThinkPad and ThinkBook computers, but with a key for calling Microsoft Copilot artificial intelligence that is fashionable today. The company also offered Smart Connect software, developed together with Motorola, which should make it easier to manage tasks across devices.
Lenovo Project Crystal
Lenovo’s Project Crystal — is probably the world’s first laptop with a transparent microLED display, which is an example of science fiction coming true. There are currently no plans to turn Project Crystal into a retail product. Instead, Lenovo’s latest concept device was commissioned by the ThinkPad division to explore the potential of transparent microLED panels and artificial intelligence integration. The most obvious use case would be to share information somewhere, such as a doctor’s office or hotel reception. Instead of turning the screen, you can use software to allow anyone on the other side to see it.
In combination with the camera built into the back of the system, Lenovo says that augmented reality applications are possible. One example would be using the camera to identify an object, similar to Google Lens. And thanks to the transparent display, this idea can be developed further by overlaying a diagram or schematic on the object to troubleshoot or repair it, transmits Engadget.
At first glance, the transparency effect is surprising. When closed or when the display is off, the Project Crystal screen looks almost like a regular piece of glass with a slight brown tint. But in a moment, it flashes like a Russian warship. The nominal brightness reaches 1000 nits, and Lenovo claims that peak values can reach 3000 nits, making it brighter than the new Galaxy S24. And despite the fact that the panel consists of several layers, it is thin, which helps to blur the line between the digital and analog worlds. Lenovo says it’s also considering adding some sort of contrast layer to turn it into a traditional opaque display at the touch of a button. However, for a relatively large 16-inch display, its resolution is not very high, so if you look closely, you can see individual pixels.
Another design trick is that instead of a traditional keyboard, the Project Crystal is equipped with a touchpad similar to those used on older Yoga Books. It suffers from many of the same problems. The most obvious example of this is that hands drift while typing because there is no tactile feedback, resulting in reduced accuracy. Lenovo claims that in the future, AI will be able to solve this problem by learning human habits and then using this information to account for hand deviations from the initial line. But for now, it still remains a problem.
ThinkPad and ThinkBook with the Copilot button
Lenovo is calling the updates to the ThinkPad T series and ThinkBook line «computers with artificial intelligence» because they all feature a special Microsoft Copilot button that provides instant access to the digital assistant.
Among the announced models are — ThinkPad T14 Gen 5, ThinkPad T16 Gen 3, ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2, and ThinkBook 14 «2 in 1» Gen 4. These computers are equipped with new Intel Core Ultra processors.
The ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2 boasts a sturdy 3:2 display with Corning Gorilla Glass and an Intel Core Ultra U processor. This tablet/laptop hybrid can be equipped with up to 32GB of RAM. The detachable backlit keyboard boasts a three-button trackpad, and the tablet is equipped with a 5-megapixel front-facing camera and an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera.
Smart Connect from Lenovo and Motorola
A new cross-device management tool called Smart Connect should allow users to easily switch tasks from one device to another. For example, you can transfer a podcast from your phone to your tablet using just a swipe gesture, or easily share files between connected devices using the unified Share Hub. The companies have not yet released the full list of compatible devices, but so far, Smart Connect will work with Lenovo PCs running Windows 10 or later and only some Lenovo tablets and Motorola devices.
Smart Connect will allow you to switch between multiple devices with a single keyboard and mouse without interruption and receive synchronized notifications from all connected devices. It also offers a smart clipboard feature for all connected devices, so you can copy and paste items from one device to another. Smart Connect will also allow users to turn their phone into a hotspot for a connected tablet or PC, or use it as a webcam. Users will also be able to stream content from their phones to other connected devices, for example, to watch videos on a big screen. Smart Connect will be available in a few months on the Microsoft Store and Google Play Store.
